Without You
by Gotta Love Pugs
Summary: When disaster strikes, Sawyer is found missing and the League must uncover what has happened. But with time running out and the threat of another war can they find him in time? An old enemy will also become more powerful than anything they have ever faced
1. Magic Mahem

Chapter One: Magic Mayhem

The sweltering sun beat down on the group of friends gathered around a fresh mound of dirt with a cross on one end. The youngest member to the league of extraordinary gentlemen stood with his Winchester resting across his shoulder, his arms slumped over it. He listened as each person said their respects to the great hunter now laid to rest.

Tom Sawyer was only dimly aware of the distant chanting in the field near the cemetery. Instead his thoughts drifted back to the last time he had seen his mentor alive.

If he had only minded his surroundings with a more watchful eye then perhaps Quatermain would still be alive now. They would be off on another mission with the other league members. As he reminisced the remaining members of the league came to join him in a final farewell.

"You remember he swore Africa wouldn't let him die," Skinner asked the league members in his cockney accent, "I wish the 'ole boy had been right."

Sawyer brought his gun down so that the butt of his rifle rested next to his left foot on the ground. "What's next?" he asked them his haunted eyes never leaving the grave before them. Each of them knew how much the two men had bonded in the few days they had known each other.

"I have long hidden away from the world," Captain Nemo said quickly, "Now I wish to see it in new west century terms." He looked around to his fellow team mates arms held wide he invited, "You are all welcome to join me."

Mina Harker looked up through her dark veil, the sole indicator of her sorrow for a lost comrade, "We have all been hiding in one form or another."

Her knowing eyes rested on the grieving young man standing across from her. He seemed distracted, his eyes leaving the grave for the first time to see one of the villagers chanting and dancing in the distance. The spy dismissed this as a local tradition performed by the natives.

"The Nautilus awaits," the captain said bringing Sawyers attention back to the matter at hand. So who's comin'?," he shifted around slightly and his team mates took their leave knowing that he would want a few minutes alone.

Nemo was the first to depart shortly followed by Dr. Jekyll and the rest of the league, each taking a moment to pause and say their goodbyes to a dear friend and companion.

For a few moments Sawyer stood transfixed next to the final resting place of his mentor. More than anything he wished he could change those last final minutes so that Quatermain did not have to die to save him.

So emerced was he in his thoughts, that Sawyer never even noticed the witch doctor he had seen chanting in the field grab a handful of dirt from on top the grave.

In one smooth, circular motion the young man cocked the gun with his right hand and kneeled to place it on the grave. He had told Quatermain the first time they met that he could have this Americanized shooting tool and he was not one to go back on his word.

"Thanks," he said his hand still on the rifle. A shadow passed overhead causing Sawyer to glance up at the darkened sky.

_That's strange, _he thought to himself his eyebrows knit together in confusion, _just a minute ago I coulda swore the sun was just there._

The chanting he heard before grew louder as a few streaks of lightening danced through the dark clouds. He stood up but immediately regretted it as a wave of disorientation hit him hard. The sound of the chanting was almost deafening now and the ground shivered in anticipation of what was to come.

Sawyer clasped his hands over his ears to try and muffle the harsh words. As he did so he felt a strange tugging as though he were being pulled away from everything. Without warning a single bolt of lightning struck both Tom and the rifle.

He screamed at the pain surging through his body as though the very fiber of his being was in the process of being ripped apart. Just as quickly as it had started, the pain ceased leaving his body exhausted and every nerve on fire.

Collapsing onto his hands and knees, Sawyer was only vaguely aware of the darkness that surrounded him. A light rain cascaded down onto him as a bitter cold seeped through his thin layer of cloths. He wasn't in Africa anymore.

His ears roared from thunderous chanting, but through this he thought he heard someone call out. Dazed he looked up in the direction the voice had come from and saw a woman running on the other side of the fence that was directly in front of him before disappearing behind the building to the left.

Grasping onto one of the bars Sawyer was able to pull himself up into a standing position. He heard the same voice call out again but this time he was too preoccupied by the sickening light headed feeling that blurred his vision.

Regaining some of his composure he tried to take a step forward but found that the strength in his legs was gone and collapsed yet again onto the concrete below.

This time though he could feel someone grab him from behind to ease his fall. He was turned so that he now lay on his back, drops of rain falling into his eyes and temporarily blinding him.

The cold was worse now that his cloths were almost soaked through. The young woman said something to him but Sawyer couldn't quite make out what it was she was trying to tell him. He shook his head trying unsuccessfully to clear it.

"The league…..," he gasped as his world threatened to go dark, "Where's my friends?"

The woman's face was blurred and he couldn't see her well at all but this time she spoke, "What is your name?" She put a strange device that glowed to the side of her head. "Tom," he gasped, "Tom Sawyer." And with that he knew no more.


	2. What Doesn't Kill You

**A/N: Ok this chapter took me much longer than I expected and I apologize for that (I'm pretty sure that there is some correlation between writing fanfiction and computer problems). Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter. I want to thank my three reviewers: ****Estelwen Greenleaf****, ****hope1iz****, and ****Sawyer Fan**** it was a big encouragement and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I apologize for any OCness from the characters because I don't have a beta and that's the one thing I'm really struggling with. So if you have any suggestions or complaints feel free to let me know so I don't keep making the same mistakes. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything (still) and anything you recognize belongs to their retrospective creators. **

Chapter Two: What Doesn't Kill You...

The thunderous bolt of electricity drew the attention of the other league members who stood a good distance away. All of them gaped in astonishment at the now empty graveyard. The spot where Sawyer had stood only moments ago was now charred black.

Almost in unison the four companions bolted for the blackened earth. Mina was the first to reach the sooted spot with inhuman speed. She knelt down beside the grave in horror and unbelief. Within moments Nemo and Jekyll joined her.

"He is gone," she said bluntly. It was obvious to her companions that she was in shock.

The good doctor looked around the field in bewilderment for some sign that would reveal what had happened to the young spy. In the distance he spotted an elderly native sitting in the vast field about a hundred yards or so from the graveyard.

"Well this doesn't make a bit a' sense," the invisible man was saying just behind Henry, "He couldn't have just up an disappeared."

Mina seemed to regain some of her composure as she said, "Even if the lightning killed him then there would have been a body left." There was a ting of hope in her voice that the youngest member of their team had not met his mentor in the afterlife.

She cringed at the thought of losing another member of their team especially the ever optimistic American. Seeing her shudder, Captain Nemo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Dr. Jekyll decided that the stranger could not possibly have any relevance to the events that had just transpired and instead turned his attention back to the charred earth her shoulder.

Henry frowned as he looked from the grave to the area where the spy had stood just minutes ago. "Curious," the doctor mumbled to himself before turning to the other league members, "Come look here." Rodney Skinner quickly moved over to investigate the doctor's discovery.

Henry motioned to what was left of the gun that Sawyer was holding for the duration of the ceremony then to the point just a few feet away where it was supposed that Sawyer stood.

"Look at the way Tom's rifle is melted and how the earth is darker here than where he was standing," Henry informed them.

The invisible man looked at it for a long moment. "He's not wrong," he stated plainly to Mina and Nemo, "But what does it mean?" The captain exchanged a knowing glance with Mina.

"What it means dear Skinner is that Tom would have only been hit by the energy surge from the lightning but was not hit by it directly," the sole female member of the team explained, "If this is true then Tom could have still been severely injured but there wouldn't have been enough energy to consume a body."

Doctor Jekyll looked back at the ruined rifle and knelt down to examine it better, "That storm came out of nowhere," he observed. Without thinking he instinctively reached out for the twisted metal and wood, "What are the chances that it would - Ahh!" His hand jerked back immediately as it contacted the still red hot surface of the gun.

In the back of his mind he could hear Hyde laugh at the good doctor's pain and Henry was glad that for once the monster was at least keeping quiet. Skinner Knelt next to the physician to retrieve the tangle of wood and metal with his gloved hand.

He grabbed what was left of the stock of the rifle when suddenly a hand shot forth from the grave seizing the mangled weapon. Skinner nearly had a heart attack as he screamed and stumbled away from the grave.

The other member's instinctively stumbled back upon hearing their companion's outburst and Captain Nemo drew his sword ready for the worst.

Slowly the hand was followed in suit by an arm covered in the familiar beige sleeves before finally the face of the great hunter emerged. They all stood in a mixture of amazement and unbelief as their fallen leader struggled to free himself from the earth. He looked up at them in frustration, "Well don't just stand there you buffoons help me up!"

* * *

><p>The first thing the spy became aware of was a pounding in his head that threatened to cast him back into the dark void of unconsciousness. He kept his eyes tightly shut in a vain attempt to shut out the penetrating light that only managed to worsen his pain, hoping that it would soon pass.<p>

After what seemed like an eternity the pain in his head lessened slightly to a dull throbbing. The young man's mind finally kicked in as he opened his eyes to a small room.

It didn't take long at all for him to figure out that he was lying on some sort of thin bed in the middle of a white walled room. There was very little in the room aside from a small armchair set next to the only window.

His mind went into overdrive as he desperately tried to figure out where he was and how he came to be here. As he looked around the room he spotted a tall metal pole with a bag of clear liquid hanging on it standing just to the left of where he was lying.

The bag had a small tube running from it and apparently went into his left arm just at his elbow. He tentatively reached up to take it off just as a young woman dressed in dark blue pants and matching shirt entered the room. "Hey don't do that," she said seeing her patient awake, "If it's bothering you just let one of us know."

She proceeded to show him a red button that would do just that as well as a remote for the device called a TV and for the bed as well. "Where am I?" the young man asked forcing himself to focus past the pain in his head.

"You're in Cornerstone Hospital," the woman smiled warmly at him, "My name is Grace and I'm the RN in charge of this hallway. Don't worry the doctor will be in shortly to talk with you." She scribbled a few things down on a small board that she had brought with her. "I'll go tell the doctor that you're awake," and with that she left the room closing the door behind her.

The young man sighed and leaned his head back down onto the thin pillow and waited patiently for the doctor to arrive. Before long there was a rapping on the door as a large, portly man with grey hair poked his head in. "Good to see that you are awake, Mr. Sawyer," He said cheerfully, "My name is Dr. Kent Lacasse."

He stepped in and started to wash his hands as his patient stared at him quizzically, "How do you know my name?" He sat up gingerly maneuvering the control pad that moved the bed so that he now rested in a sitting position. "You were admitted here last night and the girl who found said that was the name you gave her just before you lost consciousness."

The doctor paused for a moment to put on a pair of white gloves, "Now I do have a few questions for you if that is alright." While Dr. Lacasse spoke his young patient was working furiously to try and remember what had transpired last night but again was disappointed in fact he was finding that he couldn't remember much at all.

He sighed, "I'm not sure I'll be able to answer 'em but I'll try."

"Don't worry," the older man told him, "Just answer them to the best of your ability." He dug around in his breast pocket and produced a pair of glasses and took at seat next to his patient's bed. "Is there anyone that you can think of that we can contact and let them know you are alright? Any relatives or friends in the area?"

Sawyer closed his eyes trying to think. For a few minutes the young man racked his mind trying to remember if there was anyone he could recall someone that might help him. Eventually he gave up informing the doctor that no one had come to mind so that he could continue with his questions.

Most of the questions were simply making sure that he wasn't in any pain or having any dizziness. After the questions the doctor briefly explained that Sawyer had been struck by lightning which accounted for his headache and loss of memory. A young woman had seen the whole thing and called the paramedics who brought him into the hospital.

Just as he was about to leave the room Sawyer inquired, "Dr. Lacasse you keep talking about this girl that saw me last night?" Intrigued the portly man nodded and waited for him to continue. "Is there any way that I could talk to her?"

He offered his patient a small smile, "According to the paramedics the girl claimed that she had never seen you before. She did, however, leave you her phone number and said that she has something of yours. She wanted us to call her when you get out of the hospital to come get it." He pulled out the slip of paper and handed it to Sawyer.

"Once you have recovered a bit more we will see what we can do," Dr. Lacasse said as he washed his hands once again, "For now I want you to rest and don't hesitate to call the nurses if you need anything. Trust me they won't mind at all" He gave the young man a sly wink and with that the older man left.

Sawyer chose to ignore the doctor's last comment and instead focused his attention on getting some rest. The pounding in his head was returning now with a vengeance and for now he wanted a reprieve from everything. _I hope someone comes looking for me soon_, the amnesic spy thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep.


	3. New Problems

**A/N: Please Please Please forgive me for taking so long to get a new chapter up! This has been a really hard year for me and life got in the way of me taking time to write. That and microbiology *shudders at the thought*. Anyways I'm not going to promise faster updates because if I do I just know something is going to happen and I hate lying to people. So Instead I will promise that try my best to get the chapters out to you as fast as I can. I already know where this story is headed its just a matter of writing it down. I want to thank my reviewers you guys are the reason this story is still kicking. **

**HuntressBiancadiAngelo: Thanks for your review I hope you like the new chapter. I've enjoyed reading your stories as well keep up the good work and I can't wait to see what you have planed for Jack.**

**Sawyer Fan: I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm glad you got a kick out of the nurse jab. It was my favorite part to write.**

**hope1iz: I love how Quatermain acts like a father toward Sawyer so he is definitely going to be hard to figure out what happened and get him back.**

Chapter 3 New Problems

"Thanks again for helping me close the restaurant tonight, Kris", a slender, blond woman, said as she put the key in the door and gave it a twist.

"Don't mention it," her companion responded, "I know you have two finals tomorrow."

The blond put the keys in her pocket and sighed as the pair headed down the dimly lit street, "Yeah, but you didn't have to help me out." They made their way over to the motorcycle that Kris had parked next to the restaurant. "Is Clair still having her semiannual end of finals bash?" Kris inquired offering her friend a spare helmet.

"Oh man," Emma moaned, "I forgot she finished her finals today".

Kris continued to hold out the helmet for her, "Well you can always crash at my place so you can get some rest." At first Emma shifted uncomfortably before accepting the helmet, "You've already done so much to help me out I would hate to take advantage of you."

Kris chuckled softly from underneath her helmet trying to tuck in as much of her long brown hair as possible. "If you go there then you won't get any sleep before taking your tests tomorrow," Kris argued, "Look you really just don't have much of an argument here. Just say thank you and get on the bike." Emma smiled before agreeing to her friends offer.

Within fifteen minutes they reached the small apartment complex. "The bedroom is right down there", Kris said pointing down the short hallway, "Just let me grab a couple of things first".

Kris headed to the back room to retrieve some spare blankets and her cell phone that she had forgotten earlier that day when she went to help Emma at the diner. "Did you get what you needed?" Emma asked when Kris finally emerged from the bedroom. "Yeah I got everything", Kris said as she dumped her bundle onto the couch, "Good night and good luck on your finals tomorrow". Emma smiled and offered her thanks once again before disappearing into the bedroom.

Kris glanced down at her phone to see six missed calls from her uncle. By now Mike had probably called everyone in town that he could think of to check up on her. She cleared the screen and dialed his number.

"Hey Uncle Mike," she started when he picked up, "yeah I know it's late. I'm sorry I left my phone at home. No I'm fine, I just forgot it. Alright I'll be more careful, I love you too. Talk too you tomorrow, bye." Kris sighed tiredly but smiled to herself.

It was nice to know someone was concerned for her safety. Kris noticed a voicemail that was still on her phone. Her first thought was that it was just left from her uncle, but she went ahead and played it anyways.

"Hello Kris this is Dr. Lacasse from Cornerstone Hospital," the message started off instantly drawing her full attention, "I'm calling in regards to the young man you left in our care last night. If you could call my office, we would like to talk with you." The doctor rattled off his number and office hours but she simply saved the message for later.

While she was setting up her temporary bed Kris glanced toward the front door where a bag hung. This was not the first time that day that the bag distracted her and she wondered to herself what she had gotten herself into.

* * *

><p>The great hunter listened intently as Jekyll did his best to explain what had happened. Once he had finished the doctor sat back and waited for a response from their newly resurrected leader. After all Henry was a man of science and wasn't sure of what to make of all this talk of mysticism even if Quatermain was alive and well in spite of dying several days before.<p>

"There is only one person I know of who can tell us what transpired here," Quatermain said finally, "but he is a long way from here and it will take days to reach him."

The invisible man spoke up, "Yeah and who would that be?" Skinner was beginning to pull at his rather warm overcoat as the sun continued to rise over the African plain.

"The witch doctor who blessed me for saving his village," Quatermain stated simply, "even if he was not personally responsible for what happened here he might be able to point us in the right direction".

As they spoke, one of Nemo's crewmembers handed the captain something urgently before stepping back respectfully. Everyone paused watching Nemo carefully. Once he finished reading the parchment he spoke, "The crown has received word of a plan to assassinate one of the European rulers."

The entire League was shocked at Nemo's words that now weighed heavily on them. "I suppose this to be another attempt to create a world war?" Quatermain mused aloud to no one in particular.

"Is there any word as to who might attempt such a heinous act?" Mina inquired.

The captain folded the paper up and handed it back to his crewman before answering, "Unfortunately there is no mention of a suspect. It does, however, state that we are to meet with an agent in Greece who will brief us on our mission". Nemo paused glancing at Quatermain, "That is if we choose to accept."

There was a long pause as they waited for a response. They each had grown fond of the American in their own way but could they leave a county to ruin on the chance that Sawyer _might_ still be alive?

"You all go", Quatermain said finally, "I must stay and look for the boy." His response came as no surprise to the league, but what came next was.

"I would like to come with you," Dr. Jekyll said quietly earning the attention of the group. "I will be able to travel much faster on my own," Quatermain informed him, "Besides they may require your skills on this mission."

The good doctor wiped away a bead of sweat that was gathering on his brow. "I believe that Greece would very much prefer that my skill be utilized elsewhere," he said grimly as the monster in him again clawed away at his self-resolve, "And there is no telling what you will find in your search".

Quatermain looked as though he was about to object when Skinner joined in.

"Face it old boy," the gentleman thief informed the hunter with a hearty slap on the back, "We are not letting you go alone." Quatermain narrowed his eyes at Skinner in a look that made the invisible man quickly remove his gloved hands from the hunter's shoulder.

"Come on then we are wasting time," Quatermain growled seeing that there was no use arguing the point. If Henry didn't go with him the team was liable to send Skinner to shadow the old hunter. Not that it worked very well last time the thief tried to sneak around him.

Quatermain started off purposefully not waiting for the doctor. "We will send word to the Nautilus as soon as we know something," Jekyll nodded to the remaining members. They wished him luck before he hurried off to catch up to the aggravated hunter.

Captain Nemo turned to his team mates, "Ms. Harker, Mr. Skinner, if you are ready to depart then perhaps we shall return to my lady."

* * *

><p>Tom Sawyer glanced up at the clock in the waiting room as he waited impatiently for this Kris person to arrive. Dr. Lacasse had come into his room this morning to inform him that the hospital was finally able to get in touch with the young woman who found him and she had agreed to meet him in the waiting room at 10am sharp. Right now it was close to 11am.<p>

Sawyer was not fond of simply waiting here but apparently the doctor was already acquainted with this woman and had assured him that she would be true to her word in meeting him. So for now he was simply going to have to be content with waiting for her to arrive so that he could retrieve whatever it was that he had left behind during that storm. That's what she was supposed to be meeting him for.

The young man sighed wishing that some part of this strange place would seem familiar to him. He would settle for anything that would jog his faulty memory.

The doctors had assured him that with time his memory would eventually come back to him and that perhaps the possessions that he had lost would shed some light onto who he was.

Several more minutes crept by before a large white van turned into the parking lot and pulled into the closest spot at the front. Sawyer watched the newcomer with interest not sure of whether to approach them or not. Eventually his curiosity got the better of him and he started to approach the vehicle to see if this was the person he needed to meet.

The windows of the vehicle were tinted too dark for him to clearly make out anything inside of it. Apprehension sprang up inside him as if his instincts were warning him away. Sawyer slowed his pace as he came outside until he was paused just a few feet away from the vehicle.

Suddenly to his right there was someone calling for him. The young man turned to see the person he supposed to be Kris straddling a blue motorized bike. The visor was up on her helmet and although it still obscured most of her features she still seemed familiar. Like someone he had seen in a half remembered dream.

"Well are you coming or not?" she demanded impatiently when he apparently hesitated a moment too long. With one last glance toward the van he made his way to toward her.

"I take it you are Kris?" Sawyer asked her still distracted by the mysterious van.

"Yeah I am," she said eying him warily, "Look I know I was supposed to bring your stuff but I forgot it at my apartment so you'll have to ride with me to go get it." Kris followed his gaze to the van that was now leaving.

"That's not going to be a problem is it," she asked as the vehicle disappeared from view. "Uhh yeah that's alright I suppose," Sawyer answered though it was obvious that his thoughts were elsewhere.

"Great," Kris said offering him her spare helmet, "Put this on." He did so without question pushing the mysterious van to the back on his mind.


	4. The White Van

**A/N: Ok so this was supposed to be posted a few months ago but my depression got in the way****. I'm so sorry for all those who are still following this story I don't deserve you. I promise that no matter what I will finish this! Your reviews really do help me get motivated though so keep them coming I enjoy reading each and every one.**

**On another note I know it seems like Tom is a little too familiar with everything going on and some of that is my lack of attention to detail. I'm sorry about that I'll definitely work with trying to pay more attention to stuff like that.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah you know the drill I own nothing (BTW how many of y'all read these disclaimers? Just curious)**

The sun's rays had beat down on them mercilessly since the hunter and doctor began their trek to the Cushitic tribes. It had already been several hours since the duo had set out and Jekyll had long since shed his vest and neck tie to compensate for the sweltering heat.

Quatermain, however, didn't seem bothered by the harsh, dry climate as he marched on toward their destination.

"Come on doctor," the hunter called over his shoulder to his struggling companion, "With any luck we will reach the Benue River by night fall."

_Why do you even try?, _Hyde cut in. The doctor grimaced as he shouldered his load of supplies, ignoring his sadistic counterpart. And here Jekyll thought that the beast would be content to simply delight in the doctor's misery in this God forsaken heat.

_You know the brat is dead,_ the voice continued to plague him, _Why do you keep this fool's hopes alive. _

"Shut up!" Jekyll hissed quietly so that Quatermain couldn't hear. Between the heat that continued to sap at his energy and Hyde's jibes, the doctor's patience was running thin. Not to mention his worry for the youngest member of their team still gnawed away at him.

He attempted to focus on the rather unique landscape that they were traversing across instead of the monster's unyielding taunts. The doctor had not expected for the Dark Continent to be so beautiful.

Since he was a child, Jekyll had always imagined Africa to be a mysterious and savage world very different from the civilized society in which he grew up. Being here and seeing such exotic beauty he could see why the hunter never wanted to return to London. If it wasn't for the blasted heat the doctor may have actually been enjoying himself.

The distraction, however, did not last long as Hyde once again challenged him._ Why do you keep his pathetic fantasy?, _Hyde taunted ignoring the doctor's irritation and playing on his concerns for the boy, _You don't even have any proof that he wasn't burnt to a crisp back at the cemetery. For all you know he was burnt to nothingness. _

Jekyll took several deep breaths in order to relax himself thankful that the hunter seemingly noticed nothing of his personal hell. That was when an idea struck him. What made Quatermain so sure that their youngest member was still alive? In spite of what he had told the others, Henry himself wasn't entirely convinced that Sawyer could survive unless. . . . .

"Keep up Jekyll," the old hunter called back to him snapping the doctor out of his thoughts. He had unknowingly allowed for a decent sized gap to form between him and the surprisingly spry, old man.

"I couldn't help but notice your confidence that Sawyer is still alive", Jekyll huffed as he struggled to catch up, "You must have some inkling as to what transpired." The old Hunter didn't dignify his comment with a response and after several more attempts to press the issue Jekyll decided it would be wise to drop the subject for the time being.

The doctor could only imagine what he was going through right now with losing his surrogate son especially in the light of so little evidence that there was to support their current theory that the kid was still somehow alive. After all the absence of a body wasn't much to go on.

The two men traveled in silence until nightfall eventually force them to bed down for the night. A fire was lit to ward off larger predators and the frigid night air. The question still burned away at the doctor but he didn't dare bring the subject up again. They were halfway through with their supper before Quatermain finally spoke.

"Matang is his name," the hunter said suddenly.

The doctor jumped slightly as the stillness was shattered." I'm sorry but who is Matang?" Jekyll coughed as he tried to clear the food that he managed to go down the wrong way. Quatermain shoved his plate aside and stared into the fire.

"The witch doctor who blessed me for saving his village," the hunter stated matter-of-factly. The doctor gave him the quizzical look not understanding where he was going with this.

"When I first met him we were both young," the old man continued, "his hatred for a rival tribe had driven him to cast a spell that would've killed everyone from that tribe."

Quatermain paused long enough to add more wood to the dying flame. The fire sprang back to life, crackling greedily as it devoured the wood. "He was young and foolish," the Hunter continued solemnly as he gazed distantly into the flames, "And it nearly him his life and the lives of his people."

For the first time the great hunter looked up at Jekyll. "After I helped them he gave me two things," Quatermain said, "One was his blessing the other was a promise to never deal in death ever again."

The doctor thought on this for a moment. "How do you know that he is kept his word after all these years?" Jekyll inquired gently," and even if he was the one responsible for what had happened he may not have anticipated the end result." The doctor knew he was treading on dangerous ground but he could no longer avoid his own doubts.

"Because I am alive," the simple answer surprise Jekyll, "And if he could keep his promise to not let me die then he can keep his other promise as well. I know that the boy is still alive I can feel it." A comfortable silence stretched between them as the doctor contemplated all that he had heard.

The two men sat there in silence for a long time before Quatermain finally decided to rest. "You take first watch doctor and wake me up in a few hours," the old man said as he situated himself into a restful position. However, one question still plagued the doctor.

"If you don't believe Sawyer is dead then what do you suppose has become of him?" Jekyll found himself asking as his hands shakily made their way to his familiar pocket watch.

"I'm not sure," Quatermain answered tiredly as he pushed the rim of his hat over his eyes, "we will find out tomorrow when we reach the river."

"Here we are," Kris said as the pair finally made it back to her apartment. "Please make yourself comfortable and I'll be right back." She disappeared into one of the backrooms. The young man glanced around the modestly furnished home.

Though it was sparsely furnished it gave off a homey vibe and already he could feel the pent up tension slipping away.

Sawyer took a seat on the small leather couch just as Kris reentered the room carrying a brown satchel. "Alright here they are," she said joining him on the couch," I hope it helps."

Kris passed the bag over to him. He hesitated at first almost afraid of what he would find inside. "What's wrong?" Kris asked softly. The doctor had informed her over the phone about the young man's condition and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

This of course didn't mean that she was willing to trust him yet. "Oh it's nothing," Sawyer said brushing off his worry and masking it with a smile. He pulled at the ties on the bag and reached inside. Tom was surprised when his hand met something cold and metallic.

As he pulled it out Kris got up to retrieve a small plastic bag from the kitchen counter. "Here's your ammo," she said tossing the bag over onto the couch, "I would appreciate it if you wait till you leave to load it."

Sawyer twisted the weapon in his hand more confused now but he was hospital. Why did he have these on him?

"So I take it you don't trust me?" he joked offhandedly still bewildered by the new discovery.

"There's something about strange men with loaded guns in my apartment that makes me feel a little uneasy," she retorted, "Oh and I left that holster next to the microwave in there so don't forget to get it before you leave."

Sawyer placed the twin pistols back in the bag and turned to face Kris who was leaned over the back of the sofa watching him carefully. "I know that Dr. Lacasse said that you've never seen me before that night," Sawyer was staring at her intently now, "But is there anything you remember that could help me figure this out?"

Kris was caught off guard by the question. "Well you didn't say much," she started absentmindedly twisting a lock of her long brown hair, "All you gave me was your name and you mumbled something about a league."

Tom mulled over this for a moment before deciding to retrieve his holster. He strolled into the kitchen where Kris had motioned earlier. "Which one is the microwave?" He asked not recognizing most of the gadgets.

Kris gave him a strange look as if he was playing some sort of trick on her. "You can't tell where the microwave is? I only have one," She asked skeptically.

Tom could feel his cheeks burning red as he admitted, "There's not much I remember." Kris pointed to a small, rectangular machine near the ice box*. "You know most people can still recognize simple kitchen appliances even with amnesia," she was saying as he retrieved the holster.

"Thanks for your help," Tom mumbled, his face red, as he grabbed his guns off the couch and slung the bag unceremoniously over his shoulder.

"Maybe you should try some of the teams in the area to see if you belong on one of them," Kris suggested sounding a little distracted, "You never know you could be a gun slinging little league coach." He followed her gaze to the window but couldn't see what she was staring at.

"What's wrong?" he asked after a few moments passed. He was beginning to get a bad feeling.

"It's nothing I guess I just thought I saw…" her voice trailed off when she realized he was giving her that are-you-ok look, "I guess I've been hanging around my uncle too much. Speaking of which, I could probably get him to pull some strings and see if anyone has filed a missing person for you. The police would have already checked the local systems but Uncle Mike is a retired federal agent and he could probably check with the federal database to see if anything pops up."

"Thanks I'd appreciate that," he glanced outside the window once more. That was when he saw a flash of light reflecting off something on one of the nearby roof tops.

Time seemed to slow as Tom's mind barely had time to register the distinct sound of gunfire before pain erupted from his left side. The force of the impact sent the spy stumbling forward his hand instinctively grasped the burning pain.

Kris ducked behind the couch to avoid a second shot that missed by a mere inch before keeping low and crawling over to where Tom now lay in the floor. A small pool of blood was beginning to pool around the injured, young man.

The sound of slammed car doors had Kris darting to the window where she caught a glimpse of a familiar white van speeding away from just outside the apartment complex.

**A/N: Bwahaha a cliffie! In all honesty I wasn't going this direction but I got to writing and this is what I ended up with so I hope you like it. Ok so I'm not going to demand reviews or anything I'm just saying if you want to find out what is going to happen to poor Tom the more reviews I get the faster I'll get the next chapter up. This is science people. Anyone who has posted on here could tell you that. It takes two secs to post something, anything I'm not picky I promise****. **


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